STEEP TRAILS 



tion rather uncertain and dangerous for the 

 small sailing-vessels that ply between Victoria 

 and the settlements on the coast of British 

 Colxmibia and the larger islands. The water is 

 generally deep enough everywhere, too deep 

 in most places for anchorage, and, the winds 

 shifting hither and thither or dying away al- 

 together, the ships, getting no direction from 

 their helms, are carried back and forth or are 

 caught in some eddy where two currents meet 

 and whirled round and round to the dismay 

 of the sailors, like a chip in a river whirlpool. 



All the way over to Port Townsend the 

 Olympic Mountains well maintain their mas- 

 sive, imposing grandeur, and present their 

 elaborately carved summits in clear relief, 

 many of which are out of sight in coming up 

 the strait on accoimt of our being too near 

 the base of the range. Turn to them as often 

 as we may, our admiration only grows the 

 warmer the longer we dwell upon them. The 

 highest peaks are Mount Constance and Moimt 

 Olympus, said to be about eight thousand feet 

 high. 



In two or three hours after leaving Vic- 

 toria, we arrive at the handsome httle town 

 of Port Townsend, situated at the mouth of 

 Puget Sound, on the west side. The residen- 

 tial portion of the town is set on the level top 



218 



